Reinforced plastics, particularly fiber reinforced composites made with thermosetting resins, have long been known as capable of providing lightweight structural components. High volume use of such composites as in automotive applications has included compression molded components of thin cross section.
Making thicker section components by compression molding involves consideration of factors as reaction kinetics, heat transfer and rheology during molding and thereafter. A particularly acute problem is establishing an economically feasible mold cycle time that allows for development of mechanical properties of the final composite to their fullest extent.